Energy Efficiency & Renewables 16 – 18.04.2019

Balancing the German grid

2013-08-05 15:44:17

Balancing the German grid

In cooperation with Vattenfall, one of Europe’s largest utilities, Younicosintegrated the first ever Megawatt-scale battery into the European power grid. Since 2012, they’re also the first in the European grid to be authorized to provide primary frequency control with batteries. Before that - since 2010 - our 1MW/6 Sodium-Sulfur battery had already participated in power trading at the European energy exchange market EEX in Leipzig, Germany. Younicoswere the first ones there as well.

Younicosdeveloped frequency control and grid communication strategies that enable their battery to stabilize grid fluctuations in less than 10 milliseconds. That is a fraction of 30 seconds currently required by energy reserve market regulations. Because Younicos, much faster than conventional units,can balance the fluctuations much more precisely and thus more efficiently.

This demonstrates that storage can be used effectively today to guarantee system stability and security of supply. Proven, high-power batteries and intelligent control technology can balance short-term volatility faster, cleaner and more economically than conventional power plants.

This creates more space for renewable energy and enables completely new business models.